Irish sea airway crossing / transit?
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In the UK however, a SVFR, is used to get into and out of a CTR where you would not normally be permitted to enter (no IR).
1. Flight in a class A CTR because you are not permitted there on a VFR clearance. The CI is probably the most common example,
2. At night in CAS for the same reasons as above. You cant fly at night on a VFR "clearance" so SVFR is the only way to operate at night short of IFR,
3. and then the special and sometimes very useful case of your wanting to transit some class D airspace where the cloud base is low. You cant go IFR / IMC because you dont have an IR and therefore to maintain VMC you need to be at say 800 feet. SVFR exempts you from the 1,000 foot rule over build up areas so you are now good to go as long as you can still land clear. A transit through solent over Portsmouth and Southampton would be good examples.
Other than those instances for a pilot without an IR SVFR is a waste of time and limits rather than extends your priviliges in the UK.
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To be clear, if I have an IR, i can carry out a VFR flight (assume the same route as the OP ie south west to Caernarfon across the Irish Sea) and I can remain at FL80 (or FL100) and transit L10 without issue - even though I haven't filed a FP? (and any other class A airway for that matter?)?
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You can cross the airway of course subject to having received an airborne clearance, but of course you cannot fly on track within the airway as you almost certainly will not receive a pop up airway clearance for en route navigation.
Obviously given that you are making an air borne transit request to cross the airway at right angles there is no guarantee the clearance will be granted (although in my experience I have never known it to be denied) so you should be prepared to duck under the airway or accept whatever level you are given. Obviously depending where you intend to cross will give you a clue as to where other CAT users will be (in terms of level) and therefore whether there is likely to be any / much conflicting traffic.
Obviously given that you are making an air borne transit request to cross the airway at right angles there is no guarantee the clearance will be granted (although in my experience I have never known it to be denied) so you should be prepared to duck under the airway or accept whatever level you are given. Obviously depending where you intend to cross will give you a clue as to where other CAT users will be (in terms of level) and therefore whether there is likely to be any / much conflicting traffic.
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So, in Scotland, I can transit class D airways VFR, and with an IMCr I can cross them IFR? If I request an IFR transit, presumably I'll be given instrument reporting points if I'm above the transition altitude (based on the fact there aren't many VRP's)? That being the case, how would I clarify that I'm effectively flying VFR?
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Yes, without an IMCr or IR you can transit class D VFR or SVFR.
With either you can request an IFR crossing.
You may be given an IFR reporting point but in practice that is less likely and a nuisance. For example if I want to transit Solent at say FL50 I will simply tell them that I am at FL50 wishing to transit on current heading but can accept vectors if required. More often that not the transit will be cleared on current heading or a differnt heading will be given and / or a different altitude. That causes the least disruption to my flight and more than likely aircraft that are arriving and departing can be readily vectored around me. Moreover if you are high enough the chances are arriving and departing CAT will be well below your level anyway so the only traffic to efect will be other en route traffic.
Without being pedantic do you mean "clarrifying you are VFR". You are either operating under VFR or IFR. Obviously to be under VFR the met conditions must also be VMC but to be IFR the met conditions could be either VMC or IMC. Therefore if you ask for a VFR clearance the controller will know you are in VMC, however if you ask for an IFR transit he doesnt know (and doesnt really care). If you like you can request an IFR clearance and tell the controller you are in VMC but 1) it will have no effect on how he handles your transit and 2) he is entitled to assume you are happy entering IMC so if you have indicated you can accept vectors he may either vector you into cloud or put you into cloud by asking you to adjust your level. If on the other hand you request a VFR transit he will usually say in his clearance if you cannot maintain VMC then say so and he will sort you out.
With either you can request an IFR crossing.
You may be given an IFR reporting point but in practice that is less likely and a nuisance. For example if I want to transit Solent at say FL50 I will simply tell them that I am at FL50 wishing to transit on current heading but can accept vectors if required. More often that not the transit will be cleared on current heading or a differnt heading will be given and / or a different altitude. That causes the least disruption to my flight and more than likely aircraft that are arriving and departing can be readily vectored around me. Moreover if you are high enough the chances are arriving and departing CAT will be well below your level anyway so the only traffic to efect will be other en route traffic.
Without being pedantic do you mean "clarrifying you are VFR". You are either operating under VFR or IFR. Obviously to be under VFR the met conditions must also be VMC but to be IFR the met conditions could be either VMC or IMC. Therefore if you ask for a VFR clearance the controller will know you are in VMC, however if you ask for an IFR transit he doesnt know (and doesnt really care). If you like you can request an IFR clearance and tell the controller you are in VMC but 1) it will have no effect on how he handles your transit and 2) he is entitled to assume you are happy entering IMC so if you have indicated you can accept vectors he may either vector you into cloud or put you into cloud by asking you to adjust your level. If on the other hand you request a VFR transit he will usually say in his clearance if you cannot maintain VMC then say so and he will sort you out.
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Thanks Fuji,
What I meant by "effectively VFR" was that I am flying by reference to VRP's / ground points, (although in reality with GPS backed up by instruments) and therefore my route does not include instrument reporting points. TBH, I don't mind if I enter IMC. The point I was making really was that if I accept a transit above the transition altitude, is it more likely to be given (because there may be few, if any VRP's / towns etc.) by vectors or route via XXXXX and XXXXX ?
I think you've answered the question though - I ask for transit on current heading or with vectors.
ta.
What I meant by "effectively VFR" was that I am flying by reference to VRP's / ground points, (although in reality with GPS backed up by instruments) and therefore my route does not include instrument reporting points. TBH, I don't mind if I enter IMC. The point I was making really was that if I accept a transit above the transition altitude, is it more likely to be given (because there may be few, if any VRP's / towns etc.) by vectors or route via XXXXX and XXXXX ?
I think you've answered the question though - I ask for transit on current heading or with vectors.
ta.
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VMC
Ah yes, sorry, I see what you mean.
Yes, if you ask for a VFR crossing the controller will often expect you to route via VRPs. Brize are a good example where you will find they always clear you to enter and leave via one of their VRPs.
An advantage of telling the controller you can accept vectors and or requesting an IFR transit is that he knows he can move you around as needs must whilst hopefully not taking you too far off track. Of course the downside with an IFR transit is he must organise traffic to guarantee better seperation so if its busy and you can maintain VMC a VFR transit may help everyone.
FWIW I find it is best to forget the formality of CAP radio calls and just get in early with "X, for transit direct on track Z", when the controller comes back with pass your details, you can tell him with the general bull about what you are and where you are from "requesting to transit from the east of your zone VFR/IFR direct on track to z, on current heading of 060, at FL45, I can accept vectors".
Ah yes, sorry, I see what you mean.
Yes, if you ask for a VFR crossing the controller will often expect you to route via VRPs. Brize are a good example where you will find they always clear you to enter and leave via one of their VRPs.
An advantage of telling the controller you can accept vectors and or requesting an IFR transit is that he knows he can move you around as needs must whilst hopefully not taking you too far off track. Of course the downside with an IFR transit is he must organise traffic to guarantee better seperation so if its busy and you can maintain VMC a VFR transit may help everyone.
FWIW I find it is best to forget the formality of CAP radio calls and just get in early with "X, for transit direct on track Z", when the controller comes back with pass your details, you can tell him with the general bull about what you are and where you are from "requesting to transit from the east of your zone VFR/IFR direct on track to z, on current heading of 060, at FL45, I can accept vectors".
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Brize are a good example where you will find they always clear you to enter and leave via one of their VRPs.
